WSYR Local News

School District Employee Accused In Racist Prank

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) _ A complaint from the mother of a 12-year-old boy with Down syndrome has led Syracuse school officials to suspend a school employee.

Brandiss Pearson tells The Post-Standard of Syracuse that her son Brandon was welcomed with a racist prank on his first day of school.

Pearson said when she and her son stopped in front of a hallway mural to snap pictures on Tuesday, a school security guard turned Brandon to face the wall and lifted Brandon's hands above his head on the wall, as if to be frisked.

She said the security guard was laughing and said, ``Now take the picture, he's in the right position.''

The employee, who is white, is under suspension while the district investigates the complaint.